What Others Say:

"The United States and European allies... are demanding the clashes end immediately...South Sudan's rival armed groups are forcefully recruiting civilians, including child soldiers, violating a fragile peace deal signed five months ago."

21 February 2019

US, Allies Demand Stop to New Fighting in South Sudan
The United States and European allies say a new flare-up of fighting in South Sudan violates that country's peace agreement, and are demanding the clashes end immediately. A joint statement Wednesday from the U.S., Britain and Norway, known as the Troika, says the fighting around the town of Yei represents a "flagrant breach" of a December 2017 cease-fire and the revitalized peace deal signed by South Sudan's government and several rebel groups last September. The U.N. refugee agency reported last week that clashes between government forces and the rebel National Salvation Front have displaced some 13,000 people and prompted about 5,000 to flee across the border into the Democratic Republic of Congo. VOA

South Sudan's rival armed groups are forcefully recruiting civilians, including child soldiers, violating a fragile peace deal signed five months ago. The evidence from numerous accounts that opposing sides are adding fighters to their ranks is a worrying sign that threatens the country's peace, say officials. In Yambio, near the border with Congo, all sides met recently to try to resolve their differences and strengthen the peace agreement. However, the meeting quickly turned tense as the government and opposition accused each other of recruiting new fighters, including child soldiers. The meeting highlighted the need for all fighters to be integrated into a single, unified national army, said observers. The reports of new recruitment come from all sides. AP